Ismail Lourido Ali, JD is the current Interim Co-Director of Multidisciplinary Association of Psychedelic Studies (MAPS). He believes entheogenic consciousness is a crucial aspect of challenging oppression in all of its forms and has been doing vital work in the psychedelic space for over decade. We’re republishing this episode to kick off this week’s Psychedelic Science Conference in Denver, which Strippers and Sages is thrilled to be covering. While lots has changed since its original recording in 2019, most of our conversation, which ranges from the personal to the political to the cosmic and back again, is still incredibly relevant and offers rich context for the moment and conversations we find ourselves in today.